<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Visiting Hours by explorerseel8</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27203201">Visiting Hours</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/explorerseel8/pseuds/explorerseel8'>explorerseel8</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Ambiguous/Open Ending, Awkward Conversations, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Light Angst, M/M, No beta we die like Minato, Pining, Rare Pairings, Rated teen and up for language, Short One Shot</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 17:55:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,228</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27203201</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/explorerseel8/pseuds/explorerseel8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kiba knew Shikamaru was an indolent asshole, but it was unusual even for the depressingly lazy shinobi to find visiting an injured friend too 'troublesome' to be worth his time.<br/>It was pissing him off.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Inuzuka Kiba &amp; Uzumaki Naruto, Inuzuka Kiba/Nara Shikamaru, Nara Shikamaru &amp; Uzumaki Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Visiting Hours</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is part of a chapter of an old fanfic I wrote a while ago, and after rereading, I figured with a bit of editing it would work as a one shot, since Shikamaru and Kiba make up one of my favorite rare pairs (this is probably one of the rarest pairs I know, and chances are this gets no hits/reads). Since without the full story, there's no context as to when this takes place, the work can happen any time after the Sasuke retrieval arc, not during the 4th Great Ninja War, preferably during Shippuden.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   Kiba had never liked hospitals.</p><p>   He didn't like a lot of things, but hospitals were one of the few objects of his hate for multiple reasons. He couldn't get up and train like he usually would, the food tasted like shit, and he was bored as hell. Hinata and Shino were back in Konoha, as Kiba had ended up going to Suna alone to help out with tracking missions as part of a deal in Konoha and Suna's new (and admittedly flimsy) alliance, as a member of the Inuzuka Clan. This made things worse, seeing as he had no friends in Suna other than Kankuro, who was stupidly busy, meaning all Kiba did all day in the Sunagakure hospital was stare at the ceiling, contemplate how in the world he had gotten his right eye gouged out, and sleep.</p><p>   Thank god Team 7 and Team 10 had arrived Suna around the same time. Both teams were pretty occupied with missions and tasks, but most of them, at least, found some time in their day to visit him. Ino and Sakura, as part of their job, helped out with treating patients in Suna's hospital, including Kiba. Choji, ever thoughtful, brought him food so Kiba didn't have to drink lukewarm soup for all of his meals. And Naruto spent most of his mornings with Kiba in his room, which was pretty wasting of his time, but much appreciated.</p><p>   The asshole Shikamaru never showed up in the full six days since Team 7 and Team 10 arrived in the village. It was pissing Kiba off.</p><p>   "Hey, Naruto," Kiba said as soon as the blonde entered his hospital room that morning. Golden light slanted across through the window, glowing and lighting up the opposite wall. Naruto squinted against it and sat down on the stool next to his friend's bed, which was next to a table by the window and two chairs, which had been added after Asuma and Choji made a habit of staying to play shogi while they talked to Kiba in the afternoons. "Let's play a game of shogi. What do you say?"</p><p>   "Oh," Naruto chuckled. "Me? I, uh, shogi is more of Shikamaru's thing, you know."</p><p>   "Where is he, anyways?" Kiba narrowed his eyes at the blonde. "I keep catching his scent but he never shows up. Choji comes in from time to time, but Shikamaru doesn't."</p><p>   "He's, uh..." Naruto lowered his voice and leaned in close, cupping both hands around his mouth. "He's outside right now. He usually stands by the door but never comes in."</p><p>   "Coward!" Kiba shouted. Naruto giggled childishly and covered Kiba's mouth.</p><p>   "Shh!" he hissed. "That's not nice. Besides, this is a hospital."</p><p>   "I'm a patient, they <em>have</em> to deal with my shit! It's their job." Kiba grinned mischievously at Naruto, who immediately sobered and, with a gentle touch, poked the bandage covering the right side of Kiba's face.</p><p>   "Does it hurt?"</p><p>   Kiba winced and nodded. "It's like stepping on a nail, then keeping it embedded in your flesh without pulling it out while you stand and walk around. It's there, and it stings like fury at first. It still bites when I move, or sometimes it pains me at random times, but for the most part, if I'm still, it just sort of aches and throbs, you know?"</p><p>   "That was an interesting analogy." Naruto snorted and scooted the stool back a few inches, leaning to grab the shogi board on the table. He turned back and balanced it precariously on a flat surface of the bed. "Let's play. But I'm pretty shitty at this game, so excuse me if I fail miserably."</p><p>   "I guess I'm alright. I used to play against Shino, Hinata, or Neji sometimes, and that was good practice, but we're both nothing compared to Shikamaru." Both of them snickered as Naruto made the first move, but Kiba's smile lessened as he heard footsteps and the clicking of the doorknob. "Here he comes." Naruto frowned and turned his attention to the doorway.</p><p>   "Call me a coward one more time," Shikamaru snarled, quite literally kicking the door open. He held a knife in one hand and a banana peel in the other, which really took away from what could have been threatening.</p><p>   "It took you thirty whole seconds to come inside?" Kiba scoffed, turning his attention away from the game to look at Shikamaru, who was dressed in casual attire. He clearly didn't have any missions anytime soon, or maybe he was just slacking, which Kiba wouldn't put past him. "I called you a coward half a minute ago, you coward."</p><p>   "Is that your only insult?" Shikamaru rolled his eyes, lowering both hands.</p><p>   Kiba cocked an eyebrow at Shikamaru. "It's true. And I'd love to know why you've been lurking around outside my room."</p><p>   "I was eating my banana, if you hadn't noticed." Shikamaru hurled the peel at the trash can in the corner of the room. "Breakfast is essential."</p><p>   Naruto sighed. He had clearly forgotten about Shikamaru and Kiba's constant bantering. "Kiba, make a move."</p><p>   Shikamaru maneuvered around the bed until he was standing by Naruto and reached out to move a piece for Kiba. "Cheater," Naruto grumbled. "Shikamaru's too smart for me to ever win against."</p><p>   "Hey, shithead, I can do it myself," Kiba growled, swatting Shikamaru's wrist with the back of one of his hands.</p><p>   "You were going to move the piece to the left, that's a bad move," Shikamaru retorted. "It would only work if your opponent is a terrible player."</p><p>   "Precisely!" Both of them turned to look at Naruto.</p><p>   "Hey! Don't drag me into this!" Naruto protested, holding up both hands. Glancing between the two of them, he added, "You guys should probably talk and not bicker, as Shikamaru hasn't come in here when you're awake. I doubt you've had a quality conversation lately." He directed his words to Kiba.</p><p>   "Because he's a coward!"</p><p>   Shikamaru just yawned and collapsed into one of the chairs by the window, raking a hand through his messy ponytail. "What a drag. Arguing is too much work. Call me a coward if it makes you happy." He tossed his kunai onto the table, where it skidded a few inches before coming to a halt, still trembling slightly.</p><p>   Naruto snickered as he leaned against the bed and shoved another piece forward. "Shikamaru, everything is too troublesome for you."</p><p>   "Everything <em>is</em> too troublesome," Shikamaru agreed. "You know me well, Naruto." He turned his head to gaze out of the window, arms and legs crossed, and asked, "Kiba, how are you, anyways?"</p><p>   "You would know if you actually checked in more often," Kiba said, his voice scathing. He didn't look at Shikamaru, instead bent over the board as he decided on his next move.</p><p>   "Look, I'm sorry." Shikamaru frowned as he turned back to look at them.</p><p>   "You're <em>never</em> sorry."</p><p>   "I'm going to go for now," Naruto said, standing hastily. "I'll play shogi later, okay?" With a glance at Shikamaru, who gazed back impassively, he headed for the door and shut it behind him, leaving just Kiba and Shikamaru, both of whom were now studying the ceiling as if something on it was immensely entertaining to them.</p><p>   "I heard you got your eye stabbed out," Shikamaru said, lowering his gaze to stare at his hands instead. "Did it hurt?"</p><p>   "No, getting a knife buried halfway into my face did not hurt, Shikamaru."</p><p>   "Sorry, that was a dumb question." Shikamaru scratched his cheek. "Who did it?"</p><p>   Kiba shrugged, rubbing a spot behind his ear where the bandages had been tied particularly tight, digging into his skin. "Some rogue ninja group. Not a big deal, I just let my guard down."</p><p>   Shikamaru laughed dryly. "Losing an eye isn't a big deal to you?"</p><p>   "At least Akamaru's alright," Kiba said flatly. "That's pretty much what matters most at this point." Shooting a look at Shikamaru, who had taken to looking out the window again, he added, "If you care, Kankuro is taking care of him."</p><p>   Shikamaru nodded. "That's good." He fell quiet, clearly unwilling to make another attempt at conversation.</p><p>   "Explain," Kiba said after a few more moments of testy silence, cutting through the systematic ticking of the clock on the wall above his head. "You're the only one that's been avoiding me, you know. So what's wrong?"</p><p>   "Nothing!" Shikamaru hissed, sitting upright. "I've just been busy. Stop being so butthurt."</p><p>   "Bullshit. We're supposed to be <em>friends</em>, Shikamaru." Kiba frowned, his expression less resembling a scowl and more a pout. "Are you mad? If you're not tired, you're usually mad."</p><p>   "I'm not mad. Why would I be?" Shikamaru got up, sighing and dragging his feet as if he could hardly bear to walk more than a meter, and sat down, taking the previously-vacant stool that Naruto had been sitting on before, resting his forearms on Kiba's bed. "Look, I told you that I was busy."</p><p>   "Surely not busier than Choji or Ino, and they've been in here plenty. Even Asuma dropped by a couple of times." Kiba reached out and slapped Shikamaru's knee, albeit gently. "So you're avoiding me, huh?"</p><p>   "I'm not avoiding you." Shikamaru, genius that he was, clearly didn't miss the offended tone in Kiba's voice. "It's just, it—I mean you—this whole situation, it just reminds me of the Sasuke retrieval mission way back when we were still kids."</p><p>   "It's not like that." Kiba leaned back against the pillows with a defeated sigh, sinking back and half-lidding his eyes. "None of this has anything to do with you. It's not your fault."</p><p>   "That doesn't stop me from being worried," Shikamaru snapped, then relented with a weary exhale. "It's nearly the same. One of my friends nearly dying—" he spread his hands in a grand, sarcastic gesture. "—and nothing I can do about it. Fun times, you know. I just love it when I can't sleep at night for worry that another person will die because of me—" he broke off with a cough. "Sorry. That was a bit much."</p><p>   "It's not because of you, bastard. Don't be so self-centered," Kiba said, his smile widening the slightest bit when Shikamaru chuckled. "What makes it think that you caused this?" He waved a hand over the bandages obscuring his right eye. "It's not like you could have controlled the band of ninja we were up against."</p><p>   "I don't think it's my fault. I'm just...concerned. That's all." Shikamaru ran his fingers through his hair again, this time gripping hard, tugging at it. Kiba winced on behalf of Shikamaru—it looked as if he was pulling some of it out.</p><p>   "We were young and stupid and weaker than we are now. Look at how much we've grown." Kiba tilted his head at Shikamaru, who dropped both hands to rest in his lap.</p><p class="">   "We've all grown up." Shikamaru's gaze darkened. "But that doesn't change the fact that I failed back then." He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Do you know how terrible it felt to be sitting there with practical paper cuts and a stupid broken thumb while the rest of you were inches from death? Even Lee was hurt, and he wasn't even supposed to go on the mission. It was pathetic. Even Temari called me a coward."</p><p>   "That wasn't your problem. You fought your battle and we fought ours." Kiba sniffed. "The responsibility of the village doesn't hang on just you, Shikamaru. I was there. Neji, Lee, Choji, and Naruto were there. There were other ninja that Sasuke managed to sneak past, and shinobi who were defeated by the Sound 4 before we got to them. You're not the sole person to blame." He tilted his head back to look at the plain white ceiling above him, a wedge of sunlight stretching across it, bright and sharp like the edge of a sword. "I was there too, remember? Don't you ever blame me, or the others that were on that mission?"</p><p>   "But I was the leader."</p><p>   "And that doesn't put you at fault." Kiba didn't look, but he thought he heard Shikamaru let out a slow breath, relaxing. "Memories aside, my injury has nothing to do with you. So don't feel guilty every time you see my pathetically injured self, okay?"</p><p>   "I just feel awful." Shikamaru wrinkled his nose. "I was never content in hospitals, anyways. Whenever I get reminded of your injury, it makes me feel worried. You know?"</p><p>   "I know," Kiba agreed. He had been in too many battles and seen too many people he cared about hurt not to recognize that familiar feeling of panic and anxiety. "But, just, don't fret, okay? Even if you're a dick, it's nice when you visit."</p><p>   "And even if you're an asshole, I'll still drop by." The sound of wood on wood startled Kiba, and he looked over to see Shikamaru resetting the shogi board. "I'm sorry. How about a game?"</p><p>   "Sure." Kiba half-smiled as Shikamaru reached out to move the first piece. "You'll see! I'll be fine. Sakura and Ino and the Sunagakure healers will fix me up, and it'll be like it never even happened."</p><p>   When he locked eyes with Shikamaru, he could tell that Shikamaru still didn't quite believe him. Kiba knew that Shikamaru had seen the doubt in his expression, and underneath that, fear.</p><p>
  <em>   I don't want to die.</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is technically open-ended, and Shikamaru and Kiba could be interpreted as idiotic friends rather than pining (technically we don't even know if Kiba survives).</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>